Street ice remover



Nav. 26, 1940" J.KERSTEN STREET ICE REMOVER Filed June 8, 1940 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Jolm Kersiexz W ATTORNEY Nov. 26, 1940. .1.KERSTEN STREET ICE REMOVER 2 Sheets-:Sheet 2 Filed June 8, 1940 INVENTORJohn Kawtem ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE12 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a street iceremover.

The invention has for an object the construction of a device asmentioned which is characterized by a drum provided with teeth of ac'ertain shape and adapted to be driven over ice on the roads for thepurpose of smoothing out an otherwise extremely rough roadway andremoving said roughage up to within about one inch, more or less, of thetrue road level by one or several times passing over it, depending onthe thickness of the ice.

It is contemplated that the drum be large and heavy enough and berotated at a suitable speed and be installed on a proper vehicle front,center, or back to out clean through an icy, bumpy, frozen street orroadway to make same passable for traflic.

Furthermore,' the invention contemplates an 20 arrangement whereby thedrum may be adjusta-bly supported a predetermined distance above thetrue level of the roadway, varying from about one-half inch to severalinches, as selected, and

it is proposed that the supporting means be so arranged that the drum isat all times free to move upwards in the event that a projecting hardobject is encountered on the road.

Still further the invention contemplates the association of a plow with)the front of a vehicle provided with the-street ice remover, to assistin removing snow and ice.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a rearshield extended, along the length of the drum to catch flying chunks ofice which may be thrown by the rotative drum.

Still further the invention contemplates to characterize the drum by thefact that it is formed with a plurality of dove-tailed grooves extendinglongitudinally on its periphery, and by 40 the fact that a plurality ofblocks are mountedin these grooves and have projecting teeth as beforespecified.

Still further the invention proposes a novel arrangement by which theteeth on striking the ice on theroad move slightly laterally to furtherassist in breaking the ice.

For further comprehension of the-invention, and of the objects-andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in whichthe'various novel features of the invention are more particularly setforth.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a vehicle equipped withan ice remover constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional'view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 33of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the blocks with the teeth used inthe device.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line Ii6of Fig. 1.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary enlarged detailed view of a portion of the drumshown in Fig. 1.

The ice remover, in accordance with this invention, includes a pair ofspaced arms I 0 and II for pivotal attachment on a vehicle in a mannerso as to freely depend. More specifically, these arms arepivotally'supported on a vehicle I2 by a pintle shaft I4 which engagesthrough the rear ends of the arms for pivotally supporting the latter.Adrum I5 is rotatively mounted between the arms III and II. This isaccomplished by a shaft I6 passing through and keyed to the drum andmounted upon the said arms. The drum I5 is arranged at a slightinclination so that its left end is slightly forward. The purpose ofthis arrangement is that as the vehicle travels there will be a tendencyfor the ice to be pushed towards the right, oif the road.

The drum I5 is provided with a plurality f longitudinally extendingdovetailed grooves I'I arranged about the periphery of the drum,preferably at equally spaced positions. Each roove I1 is filled withblocks I8. These blocks are slidably mounted in the grooves. Each blockI8 has one or more teeth I9 extending outwards therefrom. These teethpreferably are curved as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5. The teeth I9 areadapted to engage and strike the ice for breaking the same. Thecurvature is such as to prevent injury to the road construction.

The drum I5 and shaft IB are connected together with a key I6. .The endsof the shaft I6 are rotatively supported in bearings IIi which aremounted upon the arms In and II. -A means is provided for rotating thedrum I5. This means includes a gear fixedly mounted on the shaft I6 andmeshing with a gear 2| mounted on a shaft 3I rotatively supported on thearm H. The shaft 3I supports a sprocket wheel 32 which is engaged by achain 33. This chain extends rearwards and engages over a driversprocket wheel 34 coaxially mounted on one of the rear wheels.

The arms I0 and I I'are pivotally supported at their rear endsby thepintle shaft I4 coaxial with the sprocket. 34. Hence in all elevated andlowered positions of the front ends of the arms I and l, the chain 33will maintain a properly taut position.

A raising apparatus is provided for supporting the drum H in variouselevated positions. This raising apparatus includes a pair of arms 35pivotally supported intermediate of their ends on brackets 36 mountedupon portions of the frame of the vehicle |2. The front ends of the arms35 have projecting pins 31 which engage beneath bottom edge portions ofthe arms l0 and I The rear ends'of the arms 35 are provided with slots38. Pins 39 slidably engage in these slots. These pins 39 are turnablymounted upon the ends of a bar 40 extended between the arms 35. Each pin39 has an inner cylindrical head 39 by which the rotative connection isaccomplished.

A screw 4| is threadedly engaged through a socket 42 on a bar 43 mountedacross the frame of the vehicle l2. A handle 44 is mounted on theupwards.

The pins 31 lift the arms In and II and so indirectly lift the drum l5.It should be noted that at all times the drum I5 is free to move upwardssince the arms l0 and II are merely resting on the pins 31. The weightof the drum maintains the arms Ill and H on the pins 31. When the screw4| is turned in the other direction, the

front ends of the arms 35 will be moved downwards, and so the drum 5will be lowered. The arms 35 are pivotally supported on the brackets 36by pintles 46.

l A rear shield 41 is mounted across the vehicle |2 directly behind thedrum l5 and is adapted to catch flying chunks of ice' or other objectswhich may be thrown up by the revolving drum l5. A snow plow 48 ismounted on the front of the vehicle l2. This plow 48 may be used to pushloose chunks of ice to one side of the road.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The handle 44 is adjusted so that the drum I5 is slightly spaced fromthe true surface of the roadway. The distance may depend on thecondition and construction of the roadway. It may vary anywheres fromone-half inch to several inches, but this is not intended as alimitation as other distances may be more desirable. The vehicle I2 isdriven slowly over the road, and the 'drum I5 is rotated at a rapidrate. The projecting teeth |9 will strike and break up the ice and thedrum l5 will move broken pieces of ice to the side of the road. The plow48 may be used to push the loose ice to the side of the roadway. Shouldany of the teeth I9 strike a hard object, such as a stone, the drum I5is free to lift upwards so that the device may pass without damage.

A means'is provided for momentarily shifting the blocks l8 laterally intheir extreme bottom positions. This means includes a downward extensionIll -from the arm III. A cam 22 isarranged upon the bottom of theextension Ill and is cooperative with complementary cams 23 7 upon theend blocks I8'of each row of blocks on the adjacent end of the drum I5.These plates have openings through which the cams 23 extend. The blocksl8 are pushed in the direction of the cam 22 by springs 25. Thesesprings are contained in the remote ends of the grooves As the drum l5rotates the row of blocks l8 at the lowermost position will be movedlaterally by its cam 23.striking the stationary cam 22. After the cam 23passes-the cam 22 the spring 25 of the specific row of blocks I8 willmove the blocks l8 back to their original position. The teeth l9therefore have a double actionto dig into the ice and move laterally tobreak up the ice formation.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, his to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A street ice remover, comprising a pair of spaced arms for pivotalattachment on a vehicle to freely depend, a drum rotatively mountedbetween said arms and having its axis inclined with the left endslightly forwards, a plurality of iongitudinal dovetailed grooves on theperiphery of said drum, blocks slidably mounted in said grooves andhaving projecting teeth for striking ice on the road to break same up,means for rotating said drum, and means for shifting said blockslaterally in their extreme bottom positions.

2. A street ice remover, comprising a pair of spaced arms for pivotalattachment on a vehicle to freely depend, a drum rotatively mountedbetween said arms and having its axis inclined with the left endslightly forwards, a plurality of longitudinal dovetailed grooves on theperiphery of said drum, blocks slidably mounted in said grooves andhaving projecting teeth for striking ice on the road to break same up,means for rotating said drum, and means for shifting said blockslaterally in their extreme bottom positions, said vehicle being providedwith lugs, and said arms being pivotally connected at their rear endswith said lugs.

3. A street ice remover, comprising a pair of spaced arms for pivotalattachment on a vehicle to freely depend, a drum rotatively mountedbetween said armsand having its axis inclined with the left end slightlyforwards, a pluralityof longitudinal dovetailed'grooves on the peripheryof said drum, blocks slidably mounted in said grooves and havingprojecting teeth for striking ice on the road to break same up, meansforrotating said drum, and means for shifting said blocks laterally intheir extreme bottom positions, said drum being provided with a shaftengaging through said arms to accomplish the rotative mounting.

4. A street ice remover, comprising a pair of spaced arms for pivotalattachment on a vehicle to freely depend, a drum rotatively mountedbetween said arms and having its axis inclined with the left endslightly forwards, a plurality of longitudinal dovetailed grooves on theperiphery of said drum, blocks slidably mounted in said grooves andhaving projecting teeth for striking ice on the road to break same up,means for rotating said drum,' and means for shifting said blockslaterally in their extreme bottom positions, said projecting teeth beingcurved rearwards.

5. A street ice remover, comprising a pair of spaced arms for pivotalattachment on a vehicle to freely depend, a drum rotatively mountedbetween said arms and having its axis inclined with the left endslightly forwards, a plurality of longitudinal dovetailed grooves on theperiphery of said drum, blocks slidably mounted in said grooves andhaving projecting teethfor striking ice on the road to break same up,means for rotating said drum, and means for shifting said blockslaterally in their extreme bottom positions, said means for rotating thedrum including a driven wheel connected with the drum.

6. A street ice remover, comprising a pair of spaced arms for pivotalattachment on a vehicle to freely depend, a drum rotatively mountedbetween said arms and having its axis inclined with the left endslightly forwards, a plurality of longitudinal dovetailed grooves on theperiphery'of said drum, blocks slidably mounted in said grooves andhaving projecting teeth for striking ice on the road to break same up,means for rotating said drum, and means for shifting said blockslaterally in their extreme bottom positions, comprising a cam supportedfrom one of said arms and cooperative with cams upon the end blocks ofsaid lines of blocks, and resilient means urging said blocks to engagethe cams.

7. A street ice remover, comprising a pair of spaced arms for pivotalattachment on a vehicle to freely depend, a drum rotatively mountedbetween said arms and havingits axis inclined with the left end slightlyforwards, a plurality of longitudinal dovetailed grooves on theperiphery of said drum, blocks slidably mounted in said grooves andhaving projecting teeth for striking ice on the road to break same up,means for rotating said drum, means for shifting said blocks laterallyin their extreme bottom positions, and means for supporting said drum invarious elevated positions.

8. A street ice remover, comprising a pair of spaced arms for pivotalattachment on a vehicle to freely depend, a drum rotatively mounted between said arms and having its axisinclined with the left end slightlyforwards, a plurality of Iongitudinal dovetailed grooves on theperiphery of said drum, blocks slidably mounted in said grooves andhaving projecting teeth for striking ice on the road to break same up,means for rotating said drum, means for shifting said blocks laterallyin their extreme bottom positions, and means for supporting said drum invarious elevated positions, including an arrangement whereby the drum isfree to move upwards.

9. A street ice remover, comprising a pair of spaced arms for pivotalattachment on-a vehicle to freely depend, a drum rotatively mountedbetween said arms and having its axis inclined with the left endslightly forwards, a plurality of lon-.. gitudinal dovetailed grooves onthe periphery of said drum, blocks slidably mounted in said grooves andhaving projecting teeth for striking ice on the road to break same up,means for rotating said drum, means for shifting said blocks laterallyin their extreme bottom positions, and means for supporting said drum invarious elevated positions, including an arrangement whereby the drum isfree to move upwards, and characterized by pins engaging beneath armssupporting the drum, and means for adjusting said pins to variouselevated positions.

10. A street ice remover, comprising a pair of spaced arms for pivotalattachment on a vehicle to freely depend, a drum rotatively mountedbetween said arms and having its axis inclined with the left endslightly forwards, a plurality of longitudinal dovetailed grooves on theperiphery of said drum, blocks slidably mounted in said grooves andhaving projecting teeth for striking ice on the road to break same up,means for rotating said drum, means for shifting saidblocks laterally intheir extreme bottom positions,

and a shield to catch flying chunks of ice mounted upon said vehicledirectly behind said drum.

11. A street ice remover, comprising a pair of spaced arms for pivotalattachment on a vehicle to freely depend, a drum rotatively mountedbetween said arms and having its axis inclined with the left endslightly forwards, a pluralitytween said arms and having its axisinclined 4 with the left end slightly forwards, a plurality oflongitudinal dovetailed grooves on the periphery of said drum, blocksslidably mounted in said grooves and having projecting teeth forstriking ice on the road to break same up, means for rotating said drum,means for shifting said blocks laterally in their extreme bottomposition, and a raising apparatus for holding said drum in variouselevated positions.

JOHN KERS'IEN;

